William c



(No Model.)

W. G. KNAPP. BURIAL GASKET.

No. 569,339. Patented Oct. 13, 1896.

Inusntor,

7 7- witn ssasz NiTEn STATES PATENT rricn.

\VILLIAM C. KUAPP, OF KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE MODEL CASKET COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

BURlAL-CASKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 569,339, dated October 13, 1896. Application filed June 18, 1896. Serial No. 595,964. (No model.)

To all whom it nta z concern: B is the cover, which is hinged to the back Be it known that I, FVILLIAM C. KNAPP, a side of the shell. citizen of the United States, residing at the O is the bottom, which is shaped like a box cityof Kalamazoo, inthe countyof Kalamazoo and is supported movably inside the shell. and State of Michigan, have invented a cer- Links D D are connected to the ends of the 55 tain new and useful Burial-Casket, of which bottom portion and to the end portions of the the following is a specification. cover above. They are secured detachably My invention relates to improvements in to the cover above by the slide-boltsD, a deburial-caskets. tail view of which appears in Fig. 7. A fas- My invention relates more particularly to tener is provided for the front of the cover 60 that class of burial-caskets known as couchfor locking the same. 011 the sides of the caskets, in which the entire body of the bottom are placed pairs of antifriction-rollcorpse is exposed, as though lying on a couch ers E to insure easy motion of the shell over when the casket is'opened. the same.

The objects of this invention are, first, to In operation the casket is placed upon the 65 provide a burial-casket which can be quickly pedestals, which are of such a size that the and conveniently transformed into a couch shell will pass down over the same. hen while the corpse is inside; second, to provide it is desired to open the casket for viewing a convenient mechanism for accomplishing the corpse, the clasp to the cover is loosened this desired end; third, to provide a casket in front and it is allowed to open back grad- 70 of this class so constructed that amere openually from the weight of the shell, descending of the cover effects the transformation; ing around the bottom 0, the rollers E guidfourth, to provide in a casket of this charing the same correctly to position. lVhen it acter a convenient support for floral decorais desired to close the same, the cover is taken tions. Further objects will appear in the dehold of and the motion made to tip it for- 75 tailed description. ward, as in the ordinary way of closing a I accomplish the objects of my invention box-cover, when through the connection of by the devices and means described in the the links D D to the bottom and of the hinge following specification and illustrated in the to the back the shell will be drawn up to the accompanying drawings, in. whichposition indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 80

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a 2, where it will form a burial-casket similar casket embodying the essential features of in appearance to those of the ordinary conmy invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on struction. The cover is divided lengthwise a line corresponding to the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. and connected by hinges, so that the upper Fig. 3 is a tranverse sectional view through part can be folded back and form a suitable 8 5 the entire casket on a line corresponding to and convenient rest or table for flowers or the line 3 3 of Fig. at. Fig. 4 is a detail view other decorations. of one side of the bottom portion, showing When the casket is made very large or very the guiding-rollers E. Fig. 5 is a sectional heavy, toward each end of the bottom is in 0 view similar to that shown in Fig. 3 showing serted a shaft F, having small pinions I rig- 90 the special means for controlling the bottom. idly secured to each end thereof. Vertical Fig. 6 is a detail view of the same. Fig. 7 is racks I are placed inside the shell in posia detail view of the adjustable bolt for de tion to engage the pinions I. It will thus be taining the links so that the cover can be seen that when the shell is raised or lowered 5 opened without moving the casing or bottom. the sides will be carried evenly to their po- 9 5' Similar letters of reference referto similar sition, either open or closed, as the case may parts throughout the several views. be. .Vhen the casket is placed upon the Referring to the lettered parts of the drawfloor and the cover is raised, it will of course ings, A represents the shell or outer casing lift the bottom, which would be impracticaof the casket. ble in use because the weight of the corpse I00 is supported upon the bottom. \Vhen it is desired to open the casket in this position, the bolts D are drawn out, so that the links are released and the casket is opened in the usual way.

Having thus described my improved couchcasket, I desire to state that it is capable of considerable Variation in its details without departing from my invention.

The guiding-rollers E are not absolutely necessary adjuncts, nor are the pinions I and racks I. They, however, serve very useful purposes when required, and cause the remaining parts to work with great precision and accuracy. It will be clear that the shell of the casket could be made movable over the bottom and be operated in other ways than here indicated and still secure the effects I have secured, though not in so satisfactory a manner.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is-

1. In a burial-casket, the combination of the shell A; the bottom 0 movably supported therein; the top B, hinged thereto at the back; links D, D, connecting the top and the bottom together; antifriction-rollers E, E, E, E, upon the bottom to guide it within the shell a shaft F, in each end of the bottom; pinions I, I, rigidly secured to each end thereof; vertical racks I, supported inside the shell in position to mesh with said pinions and alock or clasp for securin g the cover in the closed position; all coacting together substantially as described for the purpose specified.

2. In a burial-casket, the combination of the shell A; a bottom 0, movably supported therein; the top B, hinged thereto at the back; links D, D, connecting the top and the bottom together; antifriction-rollers E, E, E, E, upon the bottom to guide it within the shell; and a lock or clasp for securing the cover in the closed position all coacting together substantially as described for the purpose specified.

3. In a burial-casket the combination of the shell A; the bottom C, mo vably supported therein the top B, hinged thereto at the back;

links D, D, connecting the top and the bottom together; and a lock or clasp for securing the cover in the closed position all coacting together substantially as described for the purpose specified.

4. In a burial-casket, the combination of the shell A; the bottom 0, movably supported therein the top 13, hinged thereto at the back; links D, D, connecting the top and the bottom together; a shaft F, in each end of the bottom; pinions I, I, rigidly secured to each end thereof; vertical racks I, supported inside the shell in position to mesh with said pinions; and a lock or clasp for securing the cover all coacting together substantially as described for the'purpose specified.-

5. In a burial-casket the combination of the shell A; the bottom 0, movably supported therein; the top B, hinged thereto at the back; links D, D, connecting the top and the bottom together, slide-bolts D, detachably securing the links to the top; and a lock or clasp for securing the cover in the closed position substantially as described.

6. In a burial-casket the combination of the shell A; thebottom C, movably supported therein; the top B, of two sections hinged together to fold back for a support, hinged thereto at the back; links D, D, connecting the top and the bottom together; and alockerclasp for securing the cover in the closed -posit-ion as specified.

7. In a burial-casket, the combination of the shell A; a suitable cover therefor; the bottom movably supported therein; and suitable means of adjusting the shell up and down over the bottom to change the casket to a couch as specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presence of two witnesses.

\VILLIAM C. KNAPP. [L. 8.]

Vitnesses:

VANE E. CHAPPELL, J. DAVIDSON BURNS. 

